Role of extracellular matrix in peripheral nerve regeneration process

In severe injuries that led to the destruction of peripheral nerve, repair cannot be spontaneously carried out and medical intervention is required for successful regeneration of damaged nerve. In these cases, the common treatment method is use of nerve autografts, whereas this method has many limitations, nerve regeneration researchers seek to provide alternative methods. So far, one of the important methods that have been proposed to the retreatment of peripheral nerve injury is the use of biological scaffolds. In the meantime, many researchers believe that due to the important role of extracellular matrix in promoting the reconstruction, making scaffolds from the components of extracellular matrix can provide the appropriate mates for growth of axons via simulating the physical and chemical structures of the normal extracellular matrix. Therefore, understanding the role of the extracellular matrix components in the process of peripheral nerve reconstruction is necessary for researchers in the fields of nerve regeneration and tissue engineering. However, in the present study we tried to prepare an overview on the major components of extracellular matrix in peripheral nerve regeneration process.